


Anywhere in the world

by bluenna



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: EVERYONE KEEPS STEALING CALUMS SNAPBACK, High School AU, M/M, ashton was supposed to be a drummer!ashton, but he plays drums like once, but there isnt much captining going on tbh, calum is the cap of the football team, michael and luke are already dating and its sickening ew, or football for that matter, so that probably irrelevant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 02:42:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2451722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluenna/pseuds/bluenna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashton starts at a new school and meets Michael and Luke.</p><p>And then, Calum.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anywhere in the world

**Author's Note:**

> this is the longest one shot ive ever finished. im really fucking proud of myself, and actually i kinda like this
> 
> i mainly write muke, but i got so angry the other day because there arent enough cashton fics and argggh then i decided to write one myself and honestly if you have any ideas for another hmu
> 
> also more about the footballing stuffy, adding to the shit on my tags, i dont watch football, im not interested in it, and thats why there is absolutely zero describing of it in this fic, hope its fine tho
> 
> yeshhs, thats it, enjoy

Ashton's not scared when he steps in through the front doors of his new school. He's nervous and excited, but he hasn't been scared since the third time he switched schools when he was eight and his mom got yet another job in a new town. He adjusts the backpack on his shoulder and pushes his glasses up on his nose and makes his way through the building towards the first class. He already has his schedule and books, because he had come by earlier so he wouldn't miss any classes, considering that the school year had already started and he's a few chapters late in every subject.

The teacher in his math class isn't present when he steps in the room, and therefore won't make him introduce himself in front of the room. He might still have to do it, but he'd rather do it at the back at the room at his seat. He sits down and takes out his book and notebook along with a pen and looks around himself. Most of the other students that are already in are chatting with each other, some are fiddling with their phones and the rest going through their books. Ashton runs his gaze across the backs of their heads and when he gets to the guy on the seat next to him he finds a pair of blue eyes staring back at him.

"You're new," the guy says. He looks at Ashton with mild curiosity. "I'm Luke."

"Ashton."

"Nice to meet you," Luke says. He runs his fingers through his hair, messing his quiff. "And welcome, I guess."

Ashton smiles. "Thanks."

Luke smiles back. "We don't get that many new students around here. It's a small town, people usually move out not in."

"The rumor mill is impressive I assume."

Luke grins. "That it is. People might talk a lot of shit about you for the first few days, the usual whether or not you got expelled from your old school, and if yes, was it because of drugs or stealing."

Ashton snorts. He has never lived in a town this small, so it might not get as boring as every other school he's gone to. "Sounds exciting."

"Sure," Luke says, grinning. He glances at the old woman, their teacher no doubt, coming in, then looks back at Ashton. "If you need help with the first chapters, just ask. They're not that hard, but still."

"Thanks."

Ashton watches as Luke turns on his seat and focuses on the teacher. He writes his name on his notebook and opens the math book, finds the right page and grimaces as he realizes he gets nothing of it. He flips the pages until he's at the first chapter, and starts from there.

\--

Ashton has music next, and when he tells Luke this, the boy starts laughing. Ashton wonders if he has befriended a crazy person, but when Luke says he should tell the red-haired guy there that Luke thinks he's a dick, he gets it. He's not sure why Luke laughs though, not at first, not until he gets into class and sees that the redhead Luke was talking about is a menace. 

Ashton stands by the door for a minute, watching the guy play a electric guitar passionately, swinging it from side to side, almost hitting another student everytime. He walks up to the guy, not too close to get hit, and when the guy looks up at him and stops playing, Ashton says, "Luke told me to tell you he thinks you're a dick."

The guy stares at him for a few seconds then snorts. "You are what you eat, I guess," he says, tapping the guitar with his fingertips, and grins. "So you're the new kid."

"Yeah. Ashton."

"Michael. Also Luke's boyfriend, so don't try anything or I'll fight you." He smiles when he says it, but he raises his eyebrows as a warning.

"Alright," Ashton says, amused. He looks around the room. "Can I just pick any instrument I want?" he asks. 

Michael shrugs. "As long as no one's picked it yet."

"Do we play often?"

"Mondays and Fridays. Wednesday's are for theory." Michael grimaces as he says it. 

"Okay."

Ashton goes to the drums, sits down on the chair and picks up the drum sticks. He ignores Michael's stare and gives the kit a go. They're alright for school drums, nothing compared to his own, but also better than the ones they had in his last school. 

"You're good," Michael says when Ashton stops. He eyes Ashton for a moment, and then ignores him for the rest of the class.

\--

"The potatoes are horrible." A voice behind Ashton says. Ashton glances behind him, sees Luke with a grimace on his face and Michael next to him. He picks up a plate and takes two potatoes anyway; he's hungry, he doesn't care if they're bad. A few seconds later he sees Luke do the same, although the boy looks like he's suffering while he does it.

"Don't take the bread," Michael says a moment later. "Love yourself."

Ashton takes the bread and smiles when he hears Michael huff.

"He doesn't listen to us."

"I know. I'm wounded," Luke mutters. "I wonder if he'll leave if we ask him to sit with us."

"Probably," Michael answers.

"Probably not," Ashton says.

Luke grins like it really means something that Ashton wants to eat with them. "Awesome. Let's take the table in the corner."

"Uh, no," Michael says. "We sat there last week. It's my turn to pick the table."

Ashton watches them bicker for a minute, and bites his lip to keep himself from laughing when Luke eventually wins. Michael looks at Ashton, daring him to say anything, before he starts carrying his tray to the other side of the canteen.

Once they're seated Michael and Luke start explaining the basics of the school to him; who are the good teachers, who are the worst, on whose class you can miss doing homework and who will whip you for it. They point out people for him, and scrutinize his schedule and Ashton feels pretty good about it. Making new friends has always been his favorite part of moving.

"Uh-oh," Luke says, cutting Michael off in the middle on a sentence. Ashton follows his gaze to the canteen doorway where a bunch of guy are walking in.

"What?" he asks.

"Football team," Michael explains. "They're the worst , you don't want to hang out with them."

"Why not?"

Luke glances at him. "Just take our word for it." He points at one of the guys with dark hair and a snapback backwards on his head. "That's Calum Hood. He's the team captain, and the absolute worst."

Ashton turns to look at Michael, who nods, looking disgusted. "Yeah, he's a total asshole. One of those 'too good for you' types. He thinks anyone who doesn't play sports is a loser."

Ashton frowns as he looks over his shoulder at the guy who's now picking his food. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Luke says, wrinkling his nose. "I heard he beat up a sophomore last year for not going to their football game."

"Poor kid had to transfer."

"Yeah, no one saw him after that."

Ashton frowns down at his food and fiddles with the potatoes. They are quite horrible, but that's not why. He can't stand people who are full of themselves.

"Oh no," Michael says suddenly. "He's coming this way. Don't look." The boy wraps his other arm around Luke's waist and stuffs his mouth full of food, his eyes averted. A moment later a tray is placed on the table next to Ashton's. 

"Heard you were talking shit," someone - Calum - says, sounding unimpressed.

Ashton looks up at Michael and Luke. Michael raises his chin as he looks at the boy standing across the table. "Quite good a hearing you have there."

Calum raises a brow. "You're not as quiet as you think." He glances down at Ashton and then back at Michael and Luke. "What did you tell him?"

Luke bites his lip. "Nothing."

Calum shrugs. "Alright," he says and sits down. Ashton stares at him as the guy bites two thirds off his bread and starts chewing. It's quiet for a while, then Calum speaks again. "Why are we sitting here? I thought is was Michael's turn to pick the table."

Ashton whips his head to look at Michael, who is trying hard not to smile, and then Luke who has covered his mouth altogether.

"You're kidding me," Ashton says. He stares at the boys in front of him incredulously.

"Oh my God," Calum says, when Michael's shoulders start shaking. "What did you tell him?!"

Luke starts giggling, then he outright laughs as he sees Calum's expression, and leans against Michael's side. Ashton blinks at the two of them, then turns to looks at Calum, who's staring at him with eyes wide. 

"Um."

"What did they say? Please don't tell me it's the sophomore story again."

"Um."

"Oh no." Calum closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. Michael and Luke are still laughing. "That's not true, I swear, I never even..." he opens his eyes and glares at Luke and Michael. "What is wrong with you two? Why are you always trying to make people hate me?"

Michael shakes his head. "Sorry," he says in between laughs. "We just saw the opportunity and took it."

"So none of that was true?" Ashton asks, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"No," Michael says. "No one cares what you do around here. Everyone's pretty accepting, even this idiot here." Michael reaches his hand snatches Calum's snapback from his head, placing it on his own. Calum sighs and ruffles his own hair.

"Sorry, mate," he says to Ashton, "they have the worst taste in humor. I feel bad for you, you should've just ran when Luke started talking to you."

"How do you know-?"

Calum smiles. "Michael wouldn't, but Luke would. Luke would also tell you to tell Michael to suck his dick or something."

Luke purses his lips and Calum grins. "You did?"

"Or something," Michael says, "apparently, I am a dick."

"You are," Ashton says. "I am so glad those were my first words to you."

Michael chuckles. "Sorry, Ash."

Ashton shakes his head. He's not really that mad anyway.

\--

The first two weeks go by quickly. Ashton has two classes with Luke, one with Michael and one with Calum, and he's surprised how fast he becomes friends with them. And not just the kind of friends he's had before, but, like, actual friends. He feels at ease when he's with them, and he doesn't have to think before he says something, not like he used to. He meets other people too, the people at the school are surprisingly nice and there aren't any typical groups - people hang out with the ones they like. It's... nice.

Ashton's mom, though, she still thinks he's bummed out because they had to move. 

"Who is that?" she whispers after Ashton comes home with Calum in tow. She stands next to him by the fridge when Ashton tries to find something to eat. 

"Calum," Ashton replies.

"The football player?" She glances over her shoulder at Calum who's pretending like he doesn't hear anything. "Nice that you've already gotten some friends, I know you miss your old ones."

Ashton shrugs. "Yeah." He grabs two cokes from the fridge and figures the chips he has in his room are going to have to do. "We'll be in my room."

Calum grins when Ashton walks past him and Ashton throws a look over his shoulder, so Calum understands how unamused Ashton is by him. They walk to Ashton's room and once they're in, Ashton closes the door behind him and drops his backpack on the floor. He tosses the other can of coke to Calum, who catches it easily, and flops down onto his bed.

"Ugh. Do we have to do this?"

Calum snickers as he sits down next to him, and scoots backwards so his back is against the wall. "Probably not, since the only things mandatory in life are paying taxes and dying."

Ashton snorts. "That's such a teacher thing to say."

Calum grins. "I do my best." 

Ashton shakes his head and closes his eyes. After a while he opens them and motions towards his backpack with his hand. "Give it to me."

Calum rolls his eyes, but reaches to pick the backpack up and drops it onto Ashton's stomach.

"Ouch," Ashton mutters.

"Quit whining. We might get this ready today, it can't be that hard to do a ten-minute presentation on Jupiter, right?" 

Calum pulls his phone out of his pocket and opens the Wikipedia app. Ashton watches him read for a minute, then sighs and starts going through his pack, looking for paper and a pen.

They get work done for a whole half an hour before Calum drops his phone on his lap and huffs. "You know what? I think we're done for today. Let's do something else."

Ashton sighs in relief. "Oh, thank fuck. I was ready to quit an hour ago." He throws the pen and paper on the floor and falls onto his side, burying his face against the mattress. 

"You wanna go outside?" Calum asks. "I could show you around."

"You guys already showed me around last week," Ashton points out, his voice muffled.

"Yeah, I know, but like... we could go outside, and I don't know, hangout?"

Ashton shrugs. "Alright."

\-- 

They buy a bag of candy from the store nearby and wander through the town until they reach the woods. It doesn't take that long, maybe twenty minutes, but Ashton feels like he's lost. Without Calum he wouldn't find his way back home. 

"You coming?" Calum asks. He's climbing a tree, his shoes as high as Ashton's eyes. Ashton looks up at the boy, who's grinning down at him. 

"Why are we doing this again?"

"No reason. Just killing some time."

Calum starts climbing again before he sits down on a thick branch and settles there. He pulls the bag of candy from his pocket and starts eating. He shakes the bag at Ashton, and Ashton huffs and starts climbing. He stops when he's a branch higher than Calum, and snatches the bag of candy from the other boy.

"I had a tree house once," Ashton says. He throws a candy in the air and catches it with his mouth.

"Really?" Calum asks. He takes the snapback he always on from his head in order to fix his hair, and then places it back on. "Isn't that a bit cliched?"

"Probably. It was a few houses back when I was thirteen. I asked my mom if I could move my drums there, and she said no, so I climbed there to sulk. It was my official sulking place."

Calum laughs. He makes grabby hands at Ashton, so Ashton gives him the candies. "You've moved a lot then."

Ashton hums. "Every year or so."

"That must be weird."

"Not really. I like it, actually. Sometimes at the end of the year I get the feeling, like, can we move already? I never tell mom, though, 'cause she would think I'm abnormal or something."

"I've only ever lived here," Calum says. He looks towards the direction they came from, then up at Ashton. "I mean, I've been to other places, obviously, but, this has always been my home. I'd like to see the world, travel and all that, and I think that's part of the reason I want to be professional at football." He smiles, a small rise of the edges of his mouth that doesn't reach his eyes. "I don't know if I'm good enough, though. And if I'm not, I don't know what I'll do,'cause the only things I'm actually good at are football and playing bass, so."

Ashton leans against the trunk of the tree. "You could start a band."

Calum wrinkles his nose. "Nah."

"Why not?"

"I don't think it could work out."

They're silent for a few minutes. They trade the bag of candy between them until it's empty and Calum pushes it back in his pocket. 

"We should probably get back," Calum says. "Mom will kill me if I come late for dinner."

Ashton watches as Calum climbs down a few branches and then jumps down. The boy loses his balance when he hits the ground, and falls backwards on his arse. He stares at the ground in surprise, and then up at Ashton with the same expression when Ashton starts laughing. 

"Ow," Calum says, before he too starts laughing. 

He laughs loudly, his teeth showing and his eyes wrinkling, still looking up, and for a moment Ashton's breath gets stuck in his throat. He grabs onto the branch and bites down on his lip and he feels the urge to just jump down and crouch and kiss Calum, and he hasn't felt anything like that since... in a very long time. He fixes the smile back on his face and starts climbing down, making sure that he doesn't fall when he jumps down.

"You're such a loser," he chuckles as he helps Calum up.

Calum just laughs again. "Thanks." He wipes his hands on the back of his jeans and adjusts the snapback on his head. "Come on. I'll walk you home."

\--

"Come on," Luke says, tugging Ashton by the sleeve of his shirt, "we can't miss the beginning."

"We've still got five minutes left," Ashton points out, "we won't be late."

"Can't risk it." 

Luke walks fast, and while Ashton's not that much shorter than him, he still has to jog for a few steps to keep up with him. They reach the sports field two minutes later, and Luke keeps pulling Ashton behind him to the seats Michael has reserved for them.

"You're late," Michael says when they sit down. He knocks his knee against Luke's and scolds at him.

"Sorry. Ashton was being difficult."

Ashton frowns. "We're not actually late, though."

Both Michael and Luke turn to look at him, matching judgmental faces on. Ashton sighs.

"Fine. Sorry."

Michael grins. "It's okay. It hasn't started yet. I got you a soda," he says to Luke and hands him a cup with a lid and straw on it.

Luke takes the cup and frowns at it. "This is half-empty."

"Or is it half-full?" Michael asks, grinning. When Luke just stares at him blankly, he rolls his eyes. "I got thirsty."

Ashton shakes his head at them when they start bickering, and turns his focus on the play field.

\--

The game starts.

And the game ends.

Ashton doesn't even notice that the latter happens; he's too busy staring Calum, and when he realizes that he doesn't even know which team won, he knows he has a problem, and that problem might not go away for some time.

They go to the parking lot, the three of them, to wait for Calum, and Ashton rubs his hands together to get them to warm up. It's a bit chilly now that he's thinking about it, and he should probably have worn a sweater or something.

"What do you think?" Luke asks, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans and his shoulders hunched up. "They're quite good aren't they?"

"Yeah," Ashton says. He tries to sound normal when he continues, "Calum's great."

Luke smiles. "I know, right? If I didn't have this loser here," he nods towards Michael, who's tapping away on his phone, "I'd probably jump him. Athletes, man."

"I can hear you," Michael mutters, and kicks Luke lightly on the shin.

Luke grins. "I know you can. Anyway I think we- oh, hey, hey! Caluuuuum!"

Ashton turns to look at the direction of the school and sees Calum jogging up to them. He stops beside Ashton and then lets out an 'oof' when Luke attacks him with a hug.

"Good job," Luke mumbles against Calum's neck.

Calum laughs and pats Luke on the back. "Thanks." He looks over at Ashton when Luke lets go and shuffles over to the pouting Michael. "What'd you think?"

Ashton smiles. "You're good. Better than I expected, actually."

Calum grins and scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, I... thanks."

"You're not gonna go with the guys?" Michael asks him. "I thought you'd go have pizza or something with them."

Calum shakes his head. "Nah, I'd rather go with you guys, plus we have the party to celebrate tomorrow, so."

"What party?" Ashton asks.

"They have a party every Friday after a game," Luke explains. "It's a tradition."

"You're coming too, right?" Calum asks Ashton.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course."

"Great," Michael says. "Now that that has been established, how about that pizza?"

Luke and Calum snort, but don't argue. 

They go get pizza.

\--

 

The party is nothing out of the ordinary. They get wasted and dance and play some stupid game Michael comes up with, and the end of the night Ashton and Calum leave together. Ashton stays over at Calum's and wakes up with a headache. It gets even worse when he notices Calum is fine, chipper even, but then Calum makes them breakfast and that... well, that makes up for it.

\--

It's been four months since they moved when Ashton puts his fork down in the middle of dinner and says, "Mom. Can we not move this time?"

His mom looks up from the magazine she has been reading, surprised. "What do you mean?"

Ashton frowns, and rubs his hands together nervously. "I mean. We have moved once a year for the past, what, ten years? I'd like to stay this time. I like it here."

His mom pushes the magazine away from her. "Does this have anything to do with that boy?"

"Calum."

"Yes, honey, I know what his name is."

Ashton sighs. He rubs a hand over his face, then sighs again. "It's not just because of him. It's also because of Luke and Mike, and I- I just like it here."

"You've never said anything before."

"I haven't minded."

His mom doesn't say anything for a moment. Then she smiles. "I don't have any plans to move again, Ashton. I like it here too."

Ashton raises his brows in surprise. "You do?"

His mom nods. "I do." She smiles again. "Your food is getting cold."

Ashton grins, and picks up his fork. He feels lighter, and for once the thought of staying really doesn't seem that bad.

\--

"My mom says we're gonna stay," Ashton says. He's lying on Calum's bed, watching the other boy play FIFA and eating chocolate.

Calum pauses the game, and turns around. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah." Ashton smiles.

"That is- that's so-" Calum gets up, walks over to him and flops down on the bed. "I'm really fucking glad, I was actually worried I was going to have to say goodbye soon."

Ashton giggles. "Nope. You're not getting rid of me now."

Calum grins at him. Ashton sits up and draws his legs closer to him. He takes Calum's snapback from the boy's head and places it backwards on his own.

"Have you told the guys yet?" Calum asks.

"No, not yet."

"Oh, alright."

Ashton watches the other boy smile and fiddle with the hem of his shirt, and gets the same feeling he got the time they climbed the tree at the edge of the town. He wants nothing more than to lean closer and take Calum's face in his hands and kiss him until his lips are red and swollen and his eyes cloudy.

Maybe he should, he thinks, and before he can think for a reason not to, he leans forward and pulls on Calum's shirt to close the final distance between them. He hears Calum inhale sharply through his nose, feels the boy's hand come on his shoulder, seeking balance, and lastly feels pressure against his lips as Calum kisses him back. 

His back is killing him, and he tries to ignore it, because there's no way he's breaking this kiss, but then Calum sneaks his hand under Ashton's arm to his back and pulls him closer, without thinking Ashton throws his leg over Calum's thighs, and that's- that's really good. His hand untangles from Calum's shirt and slides up to the boy's shoulder, up his neck to the back of his head, and finally to his hair where it stays.

Calum sighs into Ashton's mouth, and Ashton thinks maybe they should talk, maybe, possibly, and goes to pull back, only Calum seems to disagree, his lips finding Ashton's again. He bites down on Ashton's bottom lip gently, and Ashton's not sure if the sound he makes is a moan or a whimper. He tugs at Calum's hair and runs his tongue over the other boy's bottom lip before letting it slip in.

He's not sure how long the kiss goes on. Might be seconds, or minutes or hours, probably not days because someone would've come in and found them already, and when they break apart Ashton is having trouble to think. He opens his eyes slowly, and finds that Calum is already looking at him, his eyes cloudy and lips red and swollen, just like Ashton wanted.

"I-" Calum starts, his voice raspy. He clears his throat, but doesn't continue.

"Again?" Ashton asks, still breathless.

Calum nods frantically, and then they're kissing again.

\--

Ashton doesn't see Calum the next day until lunch. He's sitting at the table Michael has picked with Michael and Luke opposite of him, when he spots Calum come in through the canteen doors.

"Uh-oh," he says.

"What?" Michael says.

"Don't look," Ashton whispers, turning his gaze to his food, "but there's that footballer I hate."

Michael and Luke look anyway. 

"Oh, that one with a hideous shirt?" Luke asks, trying to keep himself from smiling.

"That is an ugly shirt," Michael agrees.

"Yeah, that's him," Ashton says.

"He's looking this way," Luke says, kicking Ashton under the table. "What does he want?"

"I don't know," Ashton tells him. He's quiet for a few seconds. "I didn't go to the football match last Tuesday," he admits then, quietly.

Luke and Michael both gasp. 

"Are you serious?" Luke asks.

"He's going to kill you." Michael says.

"Who's going to kill him?"

Ashton looks up at Calum, who's looking concerned. He grins. "Nothing."

Calum sighs, sets his tray on the table and sits down. "Are you guys talking shit about me again?"

"Ashton started it," Michael says, smiling smugly when Ashton raises his eyebrows at him.

"Did you really?" Calum asks, pouting. 

"Only 'cause I like you."

Calum chuckles. He takes off his snapback and puts it on Ashton's curls. "Why do I put up with you," he mutters, and leans in to peck Ashton on the lips before he begins to eat, starting with two thirds of his bread.

It takes a moment for Michael and Luke to realize what's happened, and when they do, they get loud.

"Oh my go-"

"What is going on-"

Idiots.


End file.
